All hail Éderzito António Macedo Lopes, the improbable king of Europe. How fitting that a tournament where the underdog prospered ended with the most unexpected of heroes. A man who spent his formative years in care and was largely derided as a footballer until now scored the winning goal with such poise and power in equal measures it almost made the dour fare that preceded it immediately evaporate from consciousness.

Portugal’s only striker, sprung from the bench for the tiring Renato Sanches late in normal time, not only provided his country with its greatest sporting moment but, by evading France’s Laurent Koscielny and sticking the ball past Hugo Lloris with one swing of his right boot, simultaneously proved a legion of doubters wrong.